Feb. 4, 2005
ORLANDO - The UCF women's track and field team will be logging some serious travel time this weekend as the Golden Knights compete in the Carolina Classic on Saturday and the Gator Invitational on Sunday.
The Knights, who have enjoyed a two-week break from competition, open up the weekend in Chapel Hill, N.C. at the Carolina Classic. Freshman Vicky Chin is looking to duplicate her recent record setting performance in the 55m hurdles when she races in the 60m hurdles. She will also be joining sophomores Karen Kozub and LaToya Williams and junior Tavia Record in the 4X400m relay.
Meanwhile, Kozub makes her return to the 800m, an event that she won at the Atlantic Sun Championships during 2004. Classmate Christina Jones is also entered. In other middle distance races, junior Astrid Claessens will be building upon her first place finish in the mile at the Florida Intercollegiate when she had a time of 5:13.01. Freshman Elizabeth Miller took 11th in her season debut and will also run the mile on Saturday. After finishing in the top 15 of the 3,000m at UF, fellow rookie Allison Palmer makes her first appearance in the 5,000m.
In the sprints, the Knights' lineup includes sophomores Jenny Rogan, Kaprice Williams and LaToya Green in the 60m and 200m dashes. Record will also be running the 200m, while LaToya Williams and Kylene Colasanti are up for the 400m.
A trio of athletes will represent UCF in the field events. Sophomore LesSundra Ford is the school record holder in the high jump with a leap of 5-11.25 and has NCAA experience under her belt. She has been battling both injury and illness early in the season but hopes to be ready for Saturday's competition.
After struggling last season, junior Lynssey Hicks has worked hard and is making her way back to form in the long and triple jumps. Freshman Virginia Traynor will be looking to better her personal best of 41-3 in the shot put.
Eight members of the squad - including Chin, Kozub, Hicks and the sprinters - will have to bounce back quickly as they will compete in Gainesville as well. Also in Sunday's lineup are pole vaulters Katie Fowke, Michelle Teuton and Kelsey Bealert, who are fresh from the Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev. on Jan. 22. Fowke is the UCF recordholder in the event with a 12-0 mark from last spring.
They will be joined by senior captain and two-time NCAA Regional qualifier Ann-Louise Larsen in the high jump. She is second all-time behind Ford at UCF with a mark of 5-9.25. Another two-time NCAA Regional qualifier - in the steeplechase, junior Andrea Morrow will be running the 3,000m. She placed 12th in the mile at the Florida Intercollegiate with a time of 5:29.43 last month.
Rounding out the lineup is junior transfer Marivi Mercado, who will join Morrow in the 3,000m.